Johnson County adopts updates to rural arterial road network plan

To address anticipated growth in the southwestern portion of the county associated with the redevelopment of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant into the Astra Enterprise Park, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners adopted updates to the Comprehensive Arterial Road Network Plan (CARNP) on Thursday.

The plan outlines recommendations for future transportation needs and access management on arterial roads in the southern and western portion of the county. The plan does not make final determinations on any road improvements but identifies policies to manage access and plan for adequate traffic capacity on arterial roads.

The CARNP updates are based on recommendations from the Johnson County Transportation Connection Plan conducted in 2025. The Transportation Connection Plan was a joint effort among multiple jurisdictions including Johnson County, the cities of De Soto, Olathe, Gardner and Edgerton, as well as the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The new amendments approved Thursday take into account the redevelopment of the Astra Enterprise Park, which includes the Panasonic development near De Soto.

The plan also takes into account traffic modeling and future growth in the area. It focuses on a goal of maintaining appropriate right-of-way space and access points for arterial roads in the unincorporated portion of the county.

These updates allow landowners and new residents to be fully aware of future roadway development plans for the county and surrounding areas. Residents have had the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed amendments at public hearings at previous Planning Commission meetings where the amendments were considered.

An updated map including the amendments to the plan is available below. Updated plan documents will also be posted on the Planning Department's website.